TAIPEI: Taiwanese Vice President William Lai visited Japan on Monday to pay tribute to assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe, Taiwanese media said, in a surprise trip bound to rattle China.
The state-funded Central News Agency quoted lawmaker Kuo Kuo-Wen of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party as saying that Lai cancelled other plans to make the trip on the orders of President Tsai Ing-wen.
The visit marks “a diplomatic breakthrough”, the report quoted Kuo as saying.
It also makes Lai the highest-ranking government official to visit Japan since the country severed official ties with Taipei in 1972 to recognise Beijing, according to multiple Taiwanese media outlets.
The Taiwanese government has remained tight-lipped about the visit -- likely to raise hackles in Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it had no further information about “Vice President Lai’s personal itinerary” when asked to comment on the reports.
While Japan does not formally recognise Taiwan, relations between the two have warmed in recent years, with Tokyo donating several batches of Covid vaccines to the island and becoming more outspoken about China’s growing influence in the region.
Abe was dubbed “the most Taiwan-friendly Japanese prime minister” by Taiwanese media, and he continued to voice support for the island in the face of Chinese military and economic pressure after stepping down.
Flags flew at half-mast in Taiwan’s government buildings and schools on Monday, and a message wall outside Japan’s de facto embassy in Taipei was filled with condolence notes.
“Taiwan’s best friend forever,“ President Tsai wrote in her condolence note after paying her respects to Abe at a makeshift shrine.
“Thank you for your contribution to Taiwan-Japan friendship as well as world democracy, freedom, human rights and peace.”-AFP
